Improvement in grain-harvesters



UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. NICHOLSON, OF DAVIDSONVILLE, MARYLAND; BENJ. S. NICHOLSON ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID JOHN F. NICHOLSON, DECEASED.

IMPROVEM ENT `IN GRAIN-HARVESTERS.

Speciticalion forming part of Letters Patent No. 12,858, dated May 15, 1855. i

Lo all 'whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN F. NICHOLSON, ot' Davidsonville, in the county of Anne Arundel and State ot'M-aryland, haveinvented anew and useful improvement in the machine for cutting grain, called Nicholsons Improved lteaping- Machine,77 whichis described as follows, reference being had tothe annexed drawings ofthe same, making part of this specification.

Figure lis atop or birds-eye view ofthe machiue. Fig.2 is a top view of the sickle-edged plates P P2 P3, endless chain D, and pulleys C, C, C, and I. Fig. 3 is a section of a revolving plate which may be substituted for those representedas applied to the machine. Similar letters refer to corresponding in the di'erent figures. i

This machine consists of a frame, A, ot' suitable size, strength, and material for the purpose intended, having at each end a wheel which turns upon the ground and sustains the parts machine at a suitable distance therefrom. A

series of Wroughtiron fingers, B, are secured to V the lower front transverse timber of the frame by means ot' segment-plates, behind which are arranged three or more horizontal revolving disks or circular plates, I P2 P3, with sickleedges or bill-hook teeth, or otherwise formed for cutting the grain, each being secured to a vertical axle which passes through the centers otl the same and turns in gudgeons and steps secured to the frame. A grooved pulley, O, made rough on its peripl1ery,is secured ou each ot' these axles a short distance above the circular plates, around which passes an endless chain or band, D, for giving the required niotion to the sickle-edged plates.

On the'inside ofthe main driving-wheel J is secured a bevel-cogged wheel, E, which meshes in gear with another cogged wheel, F, secured on a horizontal longitudinal shaft turning in boxes attached to the frame. Another bevelcogged wheel, G, larger than the last mentioned,

- is txed on this shaft near the opposite end ot' the same, which meshes in gear with a bevel- Wheel, H, fixed on a vertical shaft turning in a step secured to the front transverse timber On this last-mentionedshaft, andnear thelower edge of the same, is secured a grooved pulley, I, made rough on its periphery. An endless chain or band, D,'passes around this last-ineli-v tioned pulley, and from thence around the grooved pulley attached to tbeoutside revolvingdisk or sickle-edged plate, P3, thence around the pulley secured to the inside revolving plate, 1J', thence around the middle sickleedged plate, P2, and thence around the first or main driving-pulley I.

The space K, through which the grain passes after being cut, extends obliquely to the back corner of theft-ame, immediately behind the shafts for the animal to draw the machine by. By this means the grain is deposited` on the ground behind the machine and in a line out of the track ofthe horse in his return.

Another kind of wheel (represented in Fig. 8) may be substituted for the sickleedged plates. This wheel is made ofthe samematerial as the sickleedged plates, and has six or more sickle or sharp edged bill-hook teeth formed on its periphery. This wheel may be arranged and propelled in a similar manner to those represented as applied to the machine.

The machine is provided with apair of shafts,

L, for the animal to draw by and a place, a, for

the driver to sit in, anda suitable rakers stand or seat, b. t

The space K, through which the cut grain passes, being in the form ota rhombus and the raking oblique, the operator is enabled to guide and deposit the grain in aline out ofthe track Vof the animal in his return.

What 1 claim as my invention, and what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Making the space through which the grain passes in the form ot' a rhombus, for the purpose of depositing the grain in a line out ot" the track of the horse, as described.

JOHN F. NICHOLSON.

.Witnesses:

EDM. MATTER, ALBERT E. JOHNSON. 

